John of Utynam explained

John of Utynam is the recipient of the first known English patent, granted in 1449 by King Henry VI. John was a master glass-maker from Flanders who came to England to make the windows for Eton College. The patent granted him a 20-year monopoly on the making of stained glass.^{[1] [2]}

The Republic of Venice had begun issuing patents to glass-makers in the early 1420s.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Patent History The Engines of Our Ingenuity . engines.egr.uh.edu . 7 November 2024 . en.
2. Book: Zeidman . Bob . The Software IP Detective's Handbook: Measurement, Comparison, and Infringement Detection . 28 April 2011 . Prentice Hall Professional . 978-0-13-703579-3 . 80 . 7 November 2024 . en.